


A lovebird's here to tell

by Lalalaartje



Series: Lovebird [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Kiss, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:21:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29152704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lalalaartje/pseuds/Lalalaartje
Summary: I obviously do not own any of the characters used in this story and there will be no profit made from this piece of self-indulgence.
Relationships: Theodore Nott/Harry Potter
Series: Lovebird [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2166594
Comments: 24
Kudos: 26
Collections: Hermione's Nook Lovebirds Fest





	A lovebird's here to tell

**Author's Note:**

> I obviously do not own any of the characters used in this story and there will be no profit made from this piece of self-indulgence.

“Eighth years, if you could grant me a moment of attention please!” Minerva McGonagall asked as she made her way to the front of her classroom. “I am aware that not all of you normally take transfiguration this year, but this is a special class.”

Unlike some other teachers, McGonagall never had a hard time grasping her students attention, so by the time she arrived at her desk, everyone had their eyes on her, waiting for what she had to say. Or well…

“Miss Parkinson, your makeup charms are still perfectly in order, please be so kind to put away your mirror,” the professor chided.

Harry grinned as a blush crept up to Pansy’s cheeks and couldn’t suppress a chuckle as she hastily tucked it into the pocket of her robes.

“Alright then,” McGonagall smiled. “I’m sure you’re all aware it’s Valentine’s day today, and while the staff would like to emphasize that tonight’s feast is single-friendly and doesn’t require dates of any kind, I still felt it would be nice to help love along. I think we can all agree that the world needs some love to recover from the damage it suffered over the last decade.”

While there were only 21 eighth year students, hearing that announcement caused a buzz to arise in the classroom. They all started turning around to look at each other, muttering something to their friends as they wondered what their teacher and headmistress was going on about. 

Minerva smiled to herself, and decided against calling for their attention once more, instead choosing to show not tell. She flicked her wand towards the back wall, lifting the dark cloth covering the large cage set up there. Immediately, a bright twittering filled the room, effectively drawing her students’ attention. 

She walked to the cage, grabbed one of the pale pink birds and made her way back to the front of the room, secretly enjoying the amazed look in her students’ eyes.

“As you might have guessed by now, I’m going to teach you the lovebird spell. If performed correctly, which I trust any student in fifth year or up will be able to do, it will transform your bird into a love note, holding the name of your love interest. The legend even speaks of soulmates, but I’ll leave that to your interpretation. Some of you might find an entire love letter, some only a name, it’s said that the bird tells you everything you need to know at the moment the spell is performed.”

McGonagall put the bird on the small perch she’d conjured before the students had arrived and pointed her wand to the blackboard behind her where the incantation appeared. “The incantation is easy enough, as is the wand movement,” she explained, moving her wand in a heart-shape while clearly pronouncing the spell “cor meum revelare.” With a last swoop of her wand, the lovebird disappeared, leaving a folded piece of parchment under the perch.

“When you’ve transfigured your note, do with it as you please. Read it, don’t read it, hand it over to the one it’s meant for, or don’t. Just know that the transfiguration will take 24 hours or less to revert, after which the lovebirds will find their way back outside on their own.”

“Professor, what does your note say?” Ron called cheekily.

“Ah, a lady never tells, mr. Weasley,” McGonagall winked. “Alright, get to work, everyone!”

Harry watched as his friends filed to the back to grab one of the twittering birds from their cage and when Pansy nudged his shoulder, he smiled up at her and made to follow.

The dynamics in the group that had returned for an extra year had changed remarkably over the last six months. When they first arrived in September, things had been awkward and stilted, and there had been protests against McGonagall’s call to house them in their own common room instead of separating them into their usual houses. Soon enough, it had been clear why she’d done so, the boundaries between different friend groups, different houses faded when they all sat together in the common room. They had all suffered trauma, no matter what side they had been on. 

Only a couple of Slytherins had chosen to return, even if most of them had been on trial and either excused because of their young age or served their sentences. Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo had stuck together at first, building walls around themselves in fear of the others lashing out against their former enemies. Neville and Hermione had played an important part in them letting their walls down eventually, asking them if they too had nightmares when the subject came up, or assuming they had their own losses to mourn when they were particularly subdued.

Six months in, the evenings in the common room were often warm and cheery, as they had all learned to enjoy themselves again, in spite of the sometimes overwhelming fear and sadness. 

When he finally returned to his seat, he was distracted by cheers and giggles coming from everywhere around the room. Ron and Parvati were sharing a sickeningly sweet kiss, while Hermione and Draco held a staring contest across the room, sparks pretty much flying between them. “As if nobody knows of their not-so-secret romps behind the tapestry of the seven elephants,” Harry muttered, earning a chuckle from Pansy. She had already transfigured her bird and smiled smugly as she unfolded the slip of parchment.

“No nasty surprises for Ginny, then?” Harry asked slyly. 

“A lady never tells, Potter,” Pansy teased. “But it’s said that a lovebird never reveals more than the subject is ready to know, and I’m definitely not ready for anyone  _ but _ Ginny, lovebirds be damned.” She refolded the note and bent down to find a quill in her bag. “Now if you’ll excuse me, this note is about to ensure me a very fun night,” she winked. Harry decided he didn’t want to know. 

While he was happy for Ginny that she had found someone new, someone who was good for her, so soon after their mutual decision to break up, he had absolutely no need to discuss her sex life, even if both Ginny and Pansy seemed to believe otherwise.

He heaved a sigh and finally focused on his own lovebird, contemplating not performing the spell at all, but in the end… maybe he just needed to see it confirmed. 

Both Blaise and Hermione might tease him about how he often was completely unaware of his surroundings or even his own feelings, but he did realise where his gaze often landed. Whose laughter made him smile along, even if he hadn’t the slightest idea what they were laughing about. He was well aware that there was only one baritone voice that made him look up whenever it sounded through the otherwise quiet common room. One spicy aftershave that made him sniff the air even when the man wearing it had long left.

Harry knew what name he would find and still, he needed to see it. “Cor meum revelare” he muttered, watching with the same giddy feeling as he had felt with his first transfiguration spell, how the bird disappeared and left behind a folded piece of parchment.

His fingers shook slightly as he unfolded it, slowly and careful not to rip it. 

_ “Theo”  _ was all it said. The black cursive looked soft and decisive at the same time. He looked up from the parchment and finally noticed that almost all of his classmates had already left. Except.

“Theo,” he muttered, his eyes locking with the man who had walked across the room to stand in front of his desk.

“Harry.”

He reached up a hand to fix his curly fringe, the brown curls shifting into their proper place before he dropped his own parchment on Harry’s desk. Harry held his breath as Theo’s hand reached up to cup his jaw. His thumb softly stroked the hint of stubble that was the result of sleeping through his alarm and not having time to shave. 

It was awkward, with the desk between them, but Harry hardly even noticed. He leaned in, his own hand coming to rest on Theo’s chest as they shared a tentative smile before moving even closer. He could feel Theo’s small gasp rather than hear it, right before their lips touched. Theo’s were dry and soft, and Harry keened when his tongue flicked out to lick his own chapped ones. 

“Alright, gentlemen.”

They both startled, but McGonagall’s smile was kind as she tapped their shoulders. 

“I’ve got more lovers to connect with my next class,” she winked. “I’m sure you two will make good use of the free period before lunch and I hope to see you at the feast tonight.”

Harry blushed, but saw his own happiness reflected in Theo’s warm amber eyes, and it was all confirmation he needed.

“Thanks, professor,” he managed to bring out, quickly grabbing his bag as Theo pulled him out of the transfiguration classroom, fingers clasped together as they ran through the halls of Hogwarts in search of somewhere private to further explore what the lovebirds’ revelation would bring.


End file.
